Liz Lochhead
Appeared: 13 August
Liz Lochhead is a Scottish poet, playwright, translator and broadcaster. Between 2011 and 2016 she was the Makar, or National Poet of Scotland. Having written poetry as a child and whilst studying at Art School, Liz Lochhead won a BBC Scotland Poetry Competition in 1971 and Gordon Wright published her first collection of Poetry, Memo For Spring in 1972 under his Reprographia imprint. Other the following years Lochhead published further collections Islands (1978) and The Grimm Sisters (1979) and moved first to Toronto as part of the first Scottish/Canadian writers exchange and later made her home in New York In 1986 she returned permanently to Glasgow. Later collections include True Confessions and New Clichés (1985), Bagpipe Muzak (1991), Dreaming Frankenstein: and Collected Poems (1984), The Colour of Black and White (2003) and A Choosing (2011). Lochhead's success in poetry was rivalled by her writing for the theatre. Her plays include Blood and Ice (1982), Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off (1987), Perfect Days (2000) and a highly acclaimed adaptation into Scots of Molière's Tartuffe (1985). In 2005, Lochhead became the Poet Laureate for Glasgow, a position she held until stepping down in 2011, when she was named as the second Scots Makar, or national poet of Scotland, succeeding Edwin Morgan who had died the previous year. She stepped down from this role in February 2016,[25] and was succeeded by Jackie Kay in March 2016. In 2015 Liz Lochhead was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.
Appeared: 13 August
Liz Lochhead is a Scottish poet, playwright, translator and broadcaster. Between 2011 and 2016 she was the Makar, or National Poet of Scotland. Having written poetry as a child and whilst studying at Art School, Liz Lochhead won a BBC Scotland Poetry Competition in 1971 and Gordon Wright published her first collection of Poetry, Memo For Spring in 1972 under his Reprographia imprint. Other the following years Lochhead published further collections Islands (1978) and The Grimm Sisters (1979) and moved first to Toronto as part of the first Scottish/Canadian writers exchange and later made her home in New York In 1986 she returned permanently to Glasgow. Later collections include True Confessions and New Clichés (1985), Bagpipe Muzak (1991), Dreaming Frankenstein: and Collected Poems (1984), The Colour of Black and White (2003) and A Choosing (2011). Lochhead's success in poetry was rivalled by her writing for the theatre. Her plays include Blood and Ice (1982), Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off (1987), Perfect Days (2000) and a highly acclaimed adaptation into Scots of Molière's Tartuffe (1985). In 2005, Lochhead became the Poet Laureate for Glasgow, a position she held until stepping down in 2011, when she was named as the second Scots Makar, or national poet of Scotland, succeeding Edwin Morgan who had died the previous year. She stepped down from this role in February 2016,[25] and was succeeded by Jackie Kay in March 2016. In 2015 Liz Lochhead was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.
Spotlight on Bookshops...
Hyndland Bookshop
143 Hyndland Road
Glasgow G12 9JA
Telephone: 0141 334 5522
Set up by two former librarians, the shop is situated in a very attractive part of the city’s West End and has been an integral part of Hyndland’s high street for over 20 years. They sell an eclectic range of fiction and non-fiction, children's books and more.
Orders can be placed by phoning 0141 334 5522 and 07484 024614 and at our email, [email protected].
Hyndland Bookshop says, 'We are pleased that such a well known poet and former Makar as Liz Lochhead has chosen the Hyndland Bookshop as her favourite. It's wonderful that authors and poets support small independents.
Liz says, 'I love it because it is an independent bookshop (that rare thing these days) exactly across the road from me, it's quite small and very friendly not over several floors like a big Waterstones but has a very wide ranging and interesting stock. And they order anything you've heard a bit about on the radio or read a review of and get it in for me in days. It's fatal when I'm feeling broke because they always have two or three things I didn't know I wanted till I saw them out on the table.'
143 Hyndland Road
Glasgow G12 9JA
Telephone: 0141 334 5522
Set up by two former librarians, the shop is situated in a very attractive part of the city’s West End and has been an integral part of Hyndland’s high street for over 20 years. They sell an eclectic range of fiction and non-fiction, children's books and more.
Orders can be placed by phoning 0141 334 5522 and 07484 024614 and at our email, [email protected].
Hyndland Bookshop says, 'We are pleased that such a well known poet and former Makar as Liz Lochhead has chosen the Hyndland Bookshop as her favourite. It's wonderful that authors and poets support small independents.
Liz says, 'I love it because it is an independent bookshop (that rare thing these days) exactly across the road from me, it's quite small and very friendly not over several floors like a big Waterstones but has a very wide ranging and interesting stock. And they order anything you've heard a bit about on the radio or read a review of and get it in for me in days. It's fatal when I'm feeling broke because they always have two or three things I didn't know I wanted till I saw them out on the table.'
Spotlight on Theatres...
Royal Lyceum
30b Grindlay Street
Edinburgh EH3 9AX
Website: https://lyceum.org.uk/
The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is Scotland’s leading producing theatre, led by Artistic Director David Greig. With a strong reputation for excellence in both classical and contemporary work The Lyceum is committed to developing Scotland’s considerable indigenous talents while presenting the best of international drama. The Company rehearses in its own rooms opposite the theatre, and costumes and sets are designed and built at The Lyceum’s workshops in Roseburn.
Liz Lochhead says, 'The Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh because it is that big and the beautiful place, "the grand old lady of Grindlay Street". I have had the pleasure of working in it over the years. They have done most of my "big" plays over the last 35 years, including Thon Man Moliere three years ago and I am devastated that it has gone black till at least next Spring and really, really hope it does re-open. And I hope I live long enough to work in it again.'
30b Grindlay Street
Edinburgh EH3 9AX
Website: https://lyceum.org.uk/
The Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is Scotland’s leading producing theatre, led by Artistic Director David Greig. With a strong reputation for excellence in both classical and contemporary work The Lyceum is committed to developing Scotland’s considerable indigenous talents while presenting the best of international drama. The Company rehearses in its own rooms opposite the theatre, and costumes and sets are designed and built at The Lyceum’s workshops in Roseburn.
Liz Lochhead says, 'The Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh because it is that big and the beautiful place, "the grand old lady of Grindlay Street". I have had the pleasure of working in it over the years. They have done most of my "big" plays over the last 35 years, including Thon Man Moliere three years ago and I am devastated that it has gone black till at least next Spring and really, really hope it does re-open. And I hope I live long enough to work in it again.'
Spotlight on Libraries...
Glasgow School of Art Library
167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow G3 6RQ
The Library of the Glasgow School of Art has one of the finest art, design and architecture collections in the UK. Our aim is to provide students and staff with access to high quality information, resources and services.
People can support the Library through the lockdown by following them on Twitter@gsalibrary and Instagram @gsalibrary. They’ve posting up informative, educational and entertaining links on Twitter since they first went in to lock down. They have recently launched an Instagram account where they will be showcasing items from their collections.
Glasgow School of Art Library says, 'We are thrilled to be chosen by Liz Lochhead as her favourite library. We have been fortunate enough to have Liz Lochhead run hugely successful creative writing classes in the library. You can find out more over in The Hatchery, where we showcase how writers and creatives have used the collections of Glasgow School of Art Library Archives and Collections to inspire, challenge or expand their practice.'
Liz says, 'My favourite Library of my whole life is the Glasgow School of Art Library in the Mackintosh Building of the Glasgow School of Art where in 1965, 1966-7, I used to escape from Roman lettering and peruse the open stacks and discovered modern American Poetry as well as abstract expressionism and wrote the first drafts (tho I didnt know that was what I was doing) of my first poems.'
167 Renfrew Street
Glasgow G3 6RQ
The Library of the Glasgow School of Art has one of the finest art, design and architecture collections in the UK. Our aim is to provide students and staff with access to high quality information, resources and services.
People can support the Library through the lockdown by following them on Twitter@gsalibrary and Instagram @gsalibrary. They’ve posting up informative, educational and entertaining links on Twitter since they first went in to lock down. They have recently launched an Instagram account where they will be showcasing items from their collections.
Glasgow School of Art Library says, 'We are thrilled to be chosen by Liz Lochhead as her favourite library. We have been fortunate enough to have Liz Lochhead run hugely successful creative writing classes in the library. You can find out more over in The Hatchery, where we showcase how writers and creatives have used the collections of Glasgow School of Art Library Archives and Collections to inspire, challenge or expand their practice.'
Liz says, 'My favourite Library of my whole life is the Glasgow School of Art Library in the Mackintosh Building of the Glasgow School of Art where in 1965, 1966-7, I used to escape from Roman lettering and peruse the open stacks and discovered modern American Poetry as well as abstract expressionism and wrote the first drafts (tho I didnt know that was what I was doing) of my first poems.'